Harlem Brownstone

About Harlem Brownstone

Harlem Brownstone suits travelers who would rather stay in a residential corner of Upper Manhattan than in Midtown. Couples on a long weekend, friends traveling together and families looking for a simple base fit the same profile: people who want a place to sleep, air conditioning and free Wifi, and who plan to spend the day out in the city. It rewards guests who enjoy a quieter street and a short walk to the subway.

Harlem Brownstone is a three-star hotel, and the rating sets the tone: a compact, practical building rather than a large full-service property. What you get is the essentials done properly, a room to come back to and a location that puts the rest of Manhattan within reach. Travelers who choose a three-star address in Harlem usually want value and a straightforward stay, and this one is aimed at exactly that kind of trip.

Rooms and listed facilities

Rooms at Harlem Brownstone list air conditioning, free Wifi and internet access, along with a safe for valuables and laundry service. Couples can use the room as a simple base and travel light. Families should confirm bed arrangements and maximum occupancy before booking, because family rooms are listed and layouts differ from room to room. Business travelers who need a work surface should ask what the room includes. Late arrivals should contact the property in advance to agree on check-in, since reception hours can vary.

Ask the property directly about anything the room needs to include for your trip, from a cot for a child to a quieter room away from the street. Confirm the check-in window, what identification is required and how the key is handed over, since these arrangements change from booking to booking. Read the total price with taxes and fees before you commit, because New York hotel bills add state and city taxes and a per-night occupancy charge, and some properties add a facility fee.

The setting

Harlem Brownstone sits at 487 Manhattan Avenue in Harlem, a long north-south avenue in Upper Manhattan where the street grid runs alongside brownstone blocks, churches and small local shops. The address is residential rather than a main sightseeing district, and the nearest big green space, Central Park, is about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away in a straight line. Times Square is about 3.8 miles (6.1 km) in a straight line, Grand Central Terminal about 4.0 miles (6.4 km) and Penn Station about 4.4 miles (7.1 km), all reached by subway rather than on foot.

The setting places you north of the sights but inside the grid, so the day starts with a walk to the subway and ends with a return to a quieter block. Uptown means north and downtown means south, and Fifth Avenue divides East from West street numbers. Street numbering above 14th Street follows the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which makes addresses easy to follow once you learn where the avenues fall.

Location and neighborhood

Harlem takes up the northern part of Manhattan, a stretch of the island where the street grid meets brownstone blocks, church spires and wide avenues. For families, the appeal is space: sidewalks are broader than downtown, the pace is slower, and Central Park's northern edge is a short walk from much of the neighborhood. 125th Street is the main commercial spine, busy with shops and traffic, and the side streets running off it are quieter, lined with stoops and trees. Evenings are calm compared with midtown, and the blocks empty out early on weeknights.

Sunday mornings bring gospel services in several Harlem churches, a longstanding draw for visitors; times and the welcome for outside guests vary by congregation, so check ahead and dress respectfully. The Apollo Theater on West 125th Street anchors the neighborhood's musical history. Families staying at Harlem Brownstone tend to find the area easiest on foot, with playgrounds tucked between blocks and small parks off the avenues. Expect a working neighborhood rather than a museum piece: schools, churches, groceries and laundries are all part of the daily rhythm.

Getting there and around

Harlem is easy to reach on the subway, which runs 24 hours a day; tap a contactless card or phone and check service changes with the MTA before a late trip. Harlem Brownstone sits around 3.8 miles (6.1 km) from the area center, around 15 miles (23.8 km) from JFK and around 4.0 miles (6.4 km) from the main Manhattan rail stations. Road journeys vary with traffic, and driving below 60th Street carries a congestion toll. With children, allow extra time on stairs with a stroller; some stations have elevators, others do not.

Nearby sights and food

Central Park's northern end is the nearest large green space, free to enter, with paths, lawns and room for children to run. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, and the American Museum of Natural History, on Central Park West at 79th Street, both sit a straightforward ride or a long walk south, and both work well with children; check opening days and timed entry before setting out. Nearer at hand, the Apollo Theater on West 125th Street is a neighborhood landmark, and the surrounding side streets of brownstones are good for a slow walk.

Food in Harlem covers a wide range, and families can eat simply and quickly. Soul food kitchens, Caribbean counters serving roti and jerk, West African restaurants, and small bakeries with pastries and bread are spread along 125th Street and the avenues nearby. Many places are casual, with counter service and space for children; a few get busy at Sunday brunch after church. Portions tend to be generous. For picky eaters, pizza slices, delis and grocery stores cover the basics, and supermarkets on the main avenues are useful for a picnic in Central Park.

A day from Harlem Brownstone

A day from Harlem Brownstone can start early with a walk north or south to Central Park's upper paths, when the lawns are quiet and the playgrounds are still empty. Mid-morning, take the subway south to the American Museum of Natural History, where the dinosaur halls absorb a couple of hours; book timed entry in advance. Lunch nearby keeps things simple. In the afternoon, return to Harlem for the Apollo Theater's marquee on West 125th Street and a slow walk past brownstones, with a stop for ice cream. Sunday adds a gospel service, if the congregation welcomes visitors; check ahead. Finish with an early dinner, as children tire.

Distances

Facilities listed by the supplier

As listed by the booking supplier; a facility not listed here may still exist. Confirm anything important with the property.

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobe
• Bathroom
• Cleaning
• Coffee
• Family rooms
• Fan
• Free Wi-Fi
• Hairdryer
• Internet access
• Iron and board
• Laundry Service
• Microwave
• Non smoking rooms
• Refrigerator
• Safe
• Shower
• Smoke detector
• Sofa bed
• TV
• Towels
• WC
• Wi-Fi